My time in Louisville is coming to an end, and I must admit the city has charm. Today was a dreary day with rain showers washing the city’s sins away. After another long day of teleworking, I told my friend we had to get some foodie-quality bites. I know, I just wrote about my Cuban dining experience, but it wasn’t a foodie experience. I needed Louisville to wow me at least once. So, shout out to the cashier at Trader Joe’s who swore we had to check out El Molcajete.
It’s a small “hole in the wall” Mexican restaurant located in the Churchill Downs neighborhood. The menu is mostly classic Mexican with offerings like tacos, burritos, and nachos. There are a few “Americanized” options like “deluxe” taco upgrades to add sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes in lieu of their traditional cilantro, onions and radish.
Starters
Housemade corn tortilla chips, salsa and choriqueso a Mexican cheese dip topped with cooked chorizo sausage.
Tacos
The tacos are a great value – ranging from $2.25-2.75 each. Tacos are traditionally served on corn tortillas and these tortillas are delicious! I opted for my usual faves – pastor and carnitas. True story: I judge my taco spots by how good the tacos al pastor and carnitas taste. Pastor is marinated pork in a savory chili sauce and carnitas are diced pork simmered in oil or lard. At the staff’s recommendation, I also tried the tacos lomo which is thinly sliced marinated steak and jalapeños.
Nachos
The nachos are massive! Generous portions of chicken, sauteed vegetable sauteed onions and peppers, a little bit of shredded cheese. At about $10, this is a great value and more than enough to share or just enough if you’ve got a larger appetite.
Final Thoughts on El Molcajete
Look! Louisville had me worried for a second, but El Molcajete gives me hope that I’ll have at least one foodie spot when I visit Louisville in the future. Fresh ingredients and bold flavors coupled with welcoming service at a great value? Yes, please. Color me shocked that Mexican food would be the best food I’ve had here.
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